Wheel of fortune
by Boris Dalyanov
Summary: After Merano, 1979. There is no rules for this game and everybody plays against everyone, but the winner is only one. Anatoly, Florence, Freddie, Molokov, Svetlana, The Arbiter, Walter - The wheel of fortune is still turning...
1. Like a pawn what cannot go back

,,So, Freddie, how are enjoying this?"

Freddie said only simple :,,Good."

The prostitute, what was laying by his right side started to kiss him on lips, nose, forehead and neck. Frederick was just staring on the ceiling. He wasn´t thinking about this situation, when he is laying in bed with one blonde good-looking prostitute he found in a bar this night. He was thinking on one brunette woman from land of goulash and sausages, from land, where ,,daddy" is ,,apukad" and ,,egészségedre" means ,,cheers". And from this land, injured by the USSR and communism, came the woman who changed his life. Florence Vassy. He loved her - but he hated her as well. She was there. Yesterday, she was still there. Day before yesterday she was his chess second. And day before day before yesterday, she was his mistress. And now she has gone. Without any warnings she is on another place than by his side. She was there for seven years, and Freddie didn´t think she will go away once.

,,Oh, Freddie, you are not looking at me," said the prostitute. ,,Look at me. You want me, don´t you? You paid me, didn´t you? Or are you so drunk?"

,,I am not drunk…" In fact, he was. He wanted to forget, that his whole life has changed. He lost his title. His mistress and second has gone. He has nothing more than chess.

,,Do you like me, Freddie? Do you really like me? Am I beautiful?" asked the prostitute and she started to undress herself.

,,You are so beautiful," said Frederick. ,,You are so beautiful and I love you. I love you…"

,,Oh, you are the first man who ever said me this! I don´t know, if you can love me, you know me only for one hour." He buried his face into the pillow.

,,I love you. I love you. I love you," he says, still again. He never told Florence how much he loves her – and probably he will never have a chance to do it. He had to tell it her. He had to tell it her, and she will never leave him ,,I love you," he whispered. ,,I love you, my Florence."

,,And you said you are not drunk!" the prostitute laughed. ,,You even forgot my name – I am not Florence, I´m Erin!"

,,I love you, Florence," said Freddie again, and tears ran down his cheeks and they fell on the pillow.

He felt like a pawn, who can do a lot of things. Who had a lot of chances. Who can even change into a rook or a bishop or any figurine he wants. But he cannot go back.


	2. The queen always stands by her king

THE QUEEN ALWAYS STANDS BY HER KING…

_Knock! Knock!_

Svetlana looked to the door. Who is this? she asked herself. Some chess fan, who wants to see where lives the world chess champion? Or a reporter, who wants to interview chess champion´s wife?

,,I am coming!" she shouted from the kitchen. It could be even Anatoly, back from Merano. She walked to radio, where some man said ,,...yesterday, Anatoly Sergievsky became the world champion, when his rival, Frederick Trumper, resigned, and..." She switched the radio off and walked to the apartme door. When she opened the doors, she saw two men, wear black hats and brown long coats. They looked almost as dangerous as they really were. The higher of them started by a question: ,,Are you mrs. Svetlana Sergievsky?"

,,Yes, I am," she answered. She knew, it would be worse if she will not cooperate with them.

,,And are you Anatoly Sergievsky´s wife?" asked the second men. She smiled a little.

,,Yes, I am." She has the feeling that she saw her husband more in the TV than in a real life recently. ,,And you are...?" she asked them.

They didn´t answer. Instead, the higher of them said: ,,We have some new informations about your men from Merano. Can we go in?"

,,Yes, of course you can." She let them stepped into her and Anatoly´s flat.

,,Nice home," said the smaller of secret guests.

,,Thank you. So...come to kitchen. Would you like something to eat or drink?" she asked them, as they walked to big, light kitchen. ,,Sit down..."

,,Two glasses of vodka, if we can..."

,,You can do everything, so why not drink vodka?" she said under her breath.

She poured two glases of vodka, as her guests wanted, and she sat down to the table. She recalled one problem she caused many years ago - when she and Anatoly married, they moved together. Two weeks after the wedding, he went to some chess tournament to BRD and she stayed home alone. There was an affair around this tournament, because a personal assistant of one player escaped. All chess-players were interrogated, if the defector said them anything before he escaped - and then, they started to interrogate families of chess-players. The KGB came even to Svetlana. But she refused to let them stepped into the apartmen, and said them through the doors that she has more important things to do than be interviewed by the KGB. Day after this incident was Anatoly home - the Soviets disqualified him of the tournament. Anatoly was a little bit angry, because he could win the match, but in fact, he was proud of his wife. But times have changed. Now, Svetlana has two beloved daughters, and she was afraid about them - she knew that if she will do something ,,bad" against the Soviets or the USSR, her daughters could be hijacked or arrest. And Svetlana loved them more than anything another - maybe even more than Anatoly. ,,Well, what do you want?" she asked, when agents drank the vodka. She had the nicest smile on her face. ,,I know you haven´t came to me for a friendly visit. You said you have some news from Merano. What news?"

Agents looked at each other. ,,Well," started the higher of them. ,,We didn´t introduced ourselves - I´m Nikolai and my colleague is Ilya. " Ah, names without surnames. It could mean only one thing . These names are mock and they are secret agents. ,,But now, we have to stop talking about unimportant things." Ilya opened the bag he has in his hand, and excluded some newspapers. ,,Did your husband call you today or yesterday, mrs. Sergievsky?" he asked.

,,No, he called me when he arrived to Merano."

,,And what were you talking about?"

,,About normal things - how me and our daughters are, how is he, what weather is here and what weather is in Italy, if is Merano nice..."

,,Weren´t you talking about politics?"

,,No. We were never talking about politics."

,,Why he didn´t call you more often?"

She shrugged her shoulders. ,,Molokov says that phoning with me breaks Anatoly and then he cannot concentrate on his games."

,,Ah...I see..."

,,It is very nice to have two strange man in my flat, but I want to know why did you come." Nikolai took a deep breath. ,,Well, mrs. Sergievsky...We have one news about your husband and you have to know it."

,,Well?"

,,Your husband emigrated to the West."

Her smile was frozen. She couldn´t believe what she heard. ,,What?"

Ilya said again this sentence.

,,Anatoly? Emigration? No." She didn´t want to know.

,,Yes, mrs. Sergievsky. He escaped."

She refused to believe them. ,,No. I know Anatoly so well and I know he will never leave me and our daughters." Ilya gave her the newspapers he had in hand. There was a big sign: **,,DRAMA IN MERANO: THE WORLD CHESS CHAMPION SERGIEVSKY EMIGRATED TO ENGLAND WITH TRUMPER´S FORMER MISTRESS, FLORENCE VASSY**!" Svetlana felt tears in her eyes. ,,It can´t be truth..." she whispered. ,,He cannot leave me."

,,Do you know Frederick Trumper or Florence Vassy?" asked Nikolai.

,,I heard only about Trumper - he was Anatoly´s opponent, wasn´t he?"

,,Yes, you´re right. And Vassy?"

No, I have never heard about miss Vassy before. But now, I know she is the women for what my husband escaped to England. ?,,No, I do not know her."

,,She was Trumper´s assistant and mistress. And now she changed sides. Like Anatoly did."

Svetlana looked on the newspapers. There were three photos. On the first photography, there was Anatoly, when he became the world champion, with the wreath for winners around his neck. On the second photo, there were Anatoly and Vassy, together, hand-in-hand walking along the sidewalk, and on the last photo, there was Florence Vassy, in a white blouse and black skirt, in front of The Hotel Palace in Merano. She is nice. Oh, damn, she is nice.

,,Is Vassy Anatoly´s mistress?" Svetlana asked, when she saw the second photo.

,,Yes, she is. She left Trumper and Anatoly left you." Svetlana didn´t want fight with tears anymore, and they ran down her face. ,,So Anatoly emigrated with his mistress and he left his wife and daughters behind?"

,,Yes, it´s the news we came to tell you," answered Ilya. ,,Dear mrs. Sergievsky, your house will be still under our control. Don´t try to escape, you have no hope. If Anatoly will call you, you have to tell us. If you will not do, what we want, it would be worse not only for you, but even for your daughters. Now we have to go. You will be interrogate soon." Both men shook hands with her and they walked out of the apartmen. ,,Have a good day, comrade Sergievsky."

Good day? Now? She wiped the tears of her cheeks and stood up. No, she won´t surrender. She will get Anatoly back home. But how to get home a man, who has a mistress and who is in England now?

She walked to her daughter´s room. Alyoska stood behind the doors and it looked like she has heard everything. ,,Oh, Aly, why are not you sleeping?" Svetlana asked with a mock smile. ,,You have to go sleep, or you will be very, very tired."

Alyoska looked at her mother. ,,Why is not daddy here?"

,,He went to a chess tournament, Aly."

,,But the tournament is over now, and daddy is a champion."

Svetlana sighed heavily. ,,Yes, daddy is a champion. He is the best chess-player on the Earth."

,,Will he bring me some jewellery from Italy as he promised?"

Svetlana stroked her by hair. ,,I hope he will."

,,And when he will return?"

,,I do not know. He is...he is in England now."

,,What is he doing in England? Why he didn´t return to us?"

,,It is something with...chess...you know, he has a lot of work now, when he is the champion..."

Alyoska looked at her very seriously. ,,He will not return, right?"

,,Oh, darling, what are you saying? He will!" Svetlana kissed her on the left cheek quickly. ,,He _will_ return. But it will take a while. "


	3. Escape from the old life

The only thing Svetlana Sergievsky knew about the woman who was now sitting in The British Honorary Consulate was her name, Florence Vassy, and the fact that she is her husband´s mistress. But there was more interesting things about her. Her family, her past, her chess-passion, her father- arrested by the AVO (Hungarian secret police) - and her last chess player and lover in one person, Frederick Trumper. KGB knew all about her. She didn´t know this, but she was still monitored. Maybe even here...

She has the true hungarian blood - and she became patriotic, proud and very strong woman, as almost every hungarian woman was.

And now, she was sitting here, in British Consulate, on a white chair, looking at the picture of the british queen on the wall. She was sitting there for a hour - and she was waiting for Anatoly. Hands in pockets of her brown coat, she was there in absolute silent.

She was thinking about the life-changing choice she has done. She left Freddie, the man she loved for seven years, the man who is in fact still a child and who has a very fragile psychology. Oh, pity Freddie! He will surely drive mad now. He thinks he an adult, and yes, he is an adult, but with a childs heart. What will he do now, when he is alone? she thought. Maybe, he is not alone. Maybe he found a new mistress. Maybe he doesn´t want to have a mistress anymore. He wants only chess, it´s his life, his drink, his food, his everything. Chess and money, and nothing more. Did he ever loved me? Did he love me truly, as I loved him? And did I loved him as much as he needed to be loved? Why am I thinking about Freddie, it´s over, when I saw him for the last time, he shouted on me ,,Go away!" It is over. I am with better man now. Anatoly Sergievsky. The world chess champion. It is funny in fact, it looks like I cannot love any another man than the world chess champion.

When I met him in The Merano Mountain Inn (famous for its peace and tranquility), I felt like never before. I was still a little bit angry on Freddie, and on myself too, and I didn´t know why I am there. He was drinking a wine and then he invited me on another glass of wine and we were just like two good friends and maybe more - He looked so nice and I don´t know why, but I felt like a young foolish girl in love. When Freddie saw us, he was more angry than ever. And I fell in love with my chess-player´s oponent.

Suddenly she heard the doors of the office started to open. ,,So what, Anatoly?" she asked him, when he came out of the office. ,,Can we stay in England?"

He smiled and put his hands on Florence´s shoulders. ,,Yes, we can. As long as we want. They didn´t want to agree with it, but then – after a long persuasion – they finally said ,,yes"".

,,Oh, Tolya, I´m so happy! We can start together a new life, a new life in England. Together, you and me and chess." Oh my God, how can I say this? Of course we can´t start together again in all aspects of life. I will always be ,,only" mistress. He has a wife. And children.

Anatoly looked at her – in his eyes was some desperation. ,,Florence, I…I am leaving my country. My whole life. My family, you know? I am leaving everything – for you. Because I love you."

,,I left my home and family twenty-five years ago," she whispered. ,,For another reason. But you have to know this – I love you, too. I love you so much." She kissed him lightly on his lips.,,And I hope I always will. We could be happy in England. In our flat, where we will live together - or we can live in hotels - or anywhere you want…"

He tried to cheer her up. ,,Don´t worry, Florence. If our love is really as strong as it looks we don´t have to be afraid of anything."


	4. A bishop will never change his colour

,,Anatoly, I think we are on the place!" said Florence with a happy smile on her lips. She looks like she has forgotten everything she has done recently. And it was true. She decided she will never look back. It is a mistake. Behind her, there are only things she came through and they are not good. They are bad and horrible in many cases. ,,Look out of the Windows. It is England! It is nice, isn´t it?"

Anatoly slept for a moment – he didn´t like the planes very much. He looked out of the plane-window, as Florence wanted. ,,It is very nice," he said. The airport Heathrow. It is another airport than Serzekovo, or Dutchvalitsovo, or Charkov´. ,,It is so big!"

,,Yes, I am so happy we are finally here! Look there, it is the famous london buses! With two floors! Do you see them?"

,,I have never seen anything like this before! I was in Leningrad, Volgograd, maybe in every big Russia city, but we have nothing like this…..oh, I´m sorry – THEY have nothing like this…"

But Florence didn´t mind. ,,And these London´s telephone booth…"

,,I think I will love it here. With you."

,,England is much more beautiful when you are here, Tolya," said Florence. ,,But stand up, we have to go out of the plane. Where we will go then? To the consulate, right?"

,,Yes, to the consulate. I hope there are better and more inteligent officers than in Merano!" They laughed for a while. Florence was happy as never before. She is in England with a man she loves. Freddie hated England….oh, no! Why still about Freddie?

,,What happened, Florence? You were laughing and they you suddenly stopped…" said Anatoly. But Florence just smiled. ,,That´s nothing."

As Florence said, they went to the consulate. With suitcases and in hands they looked like some tourists.

,,Your names?" asked one of many officers.

Anatoly took all the responsibility on his shoulders. ,,My name is Anatoly Sergievsky. Her name is Florence Vassy."

,,Sergievsky? Vassy? What damned land are you from?"

,,Miss Vassy is from Hungary. I am from the USSR."

,,Hungary and the USSR?" Ah, it is suspicious. Aren´t they some KGB´s spies?

Florence quickly said: ,,But I am an english citizen."

,,So what are you doing here?" said the officer angrily.

,,I am here with Anatoly. Is it prohibited?"

,,You can wait for him outside."

,,It is raining outside."

,,So you can take an umbrella. „

,,I don´t have any umbrella."

,,It is your problem."

Florence looked at Anatoly. They both were laughing. ,,Better than in Merano," said Anatoly with a smile on his face. The officer didn´t understand, what he means. ,,Miss Vassy," he said, ,,please, go out of this office. You can wait in the corridor, right?"

,,Yes, okay." She smiled at Anatoly, as if she wants to say: ,,It will be good!" and she stepped out of the office. Anatoly stayed alone with the officer. ,,Sit down, mr. - what´s your name? I hate russians names, and I cannot remember them…."

,,Anatoly Sergievsky."

,,So sit down, mr. Sergievsky. And wait for a moment, I have to phone somewhere - from what land did you arrive?"

,,Italy. Merano."

,,Ah, Italy is nice country. Well, I have to phone to Merano. Excuse me."

,,Of course."

The officer took a telephone handset and he pressed some buttons. ,,´Allo? Merano? Ah, I am calling from the Great Britain…I want to ask you on one soviet refugee…" Anatoly has the feelings, that with every word ,,refugee" some knife is injuring him deep into his heart. Refugee…Emigrant...Will that words follow him forever?

,,His name?" continued the officer. ,,Sergievsky….Oh, really? I didn´t know…Thank you…Have a nice day…" He put the telephone handset down and looked into Anatoly´s eyes. ,,Well, they know about you. You know, there are many soviet refugees now, mr. Sergievsky – am I saying this good?"

,,Yes, you are."

,,Well – and I think all the soviet refugees escapes to England. I just don´t know why."

,,Please, mister officer, can we talk about something another than the USSR? It was my home for thirty years and I always hoped I will live there to the end of my days…and now I am here…" He saw the look in officer´s eyes. ,,Well, it doesn´t matter…"

,,No, no, it´s okay. I understand."

No, you didn´t understand, thought Anatoly. You just want to calm me down and quickly resolve all the problems I caused to your paperwork. You surely never emigrated from your land. You look like a typical English man. You never felt like the worst man on the Earth, when you crossed the borders. You have no idea how I am feeling now. You don´t know what is the feeling like, when you know your wife or daughters are maybe in prison now – all because you have never emigrate. And when you think you are finally safe behind the borders and you can start your life again, you are in another land, in land what you don´t know, and everybody looks at you with fear because you are stranger. That is the emigration.

The officer was looking into some papers and then he said: ,,Excuse me, mr. Sergievsky, but I heard you are the world champion in chess…"

,,Yes, I am Anatoly Sergievsky, the world chess champion." Ah, chess. The most beautiful word in the world. He will play chess even in emigration.

,,Oh, really? I had thought that the world champion is Frederick Trumper."

,,No, I´ve beaten him some days ago."

,,Congratulations. But I heard….you are married, too."

,,Yes, I am."

,,And…? What about your wife? - Don´t tell me she didn´t came with you!"

,,You are right, she didn´t."

The officer was staring at him for a minute. ,,I am…I am sorry…It is… …" he stuttered. ,,There are always the whole families….or men and women who has no family in the land they emigrated from…"

,,I know, it is unusual."

,,Unusual? It is horrible! Do you know what they will do…"

,,YES, I KNOW! Please, mr. officer, please, don´t talk about my wife and family anymore!"

,,OK, OK, just calm down."

Why is everybody still reminding me what I´d done? Is that a crime?

,,Mr. Sergievsky!"

,,Mmm…?"

,,Here, your signature. And here, another."

,,Oh, my God! How many signatures do you need?" asked Anatoly. These things bored him.

,,Many."

,,Is that everything?"

,,Not yet. Have you got any documents about yourself?"

,,No. I emigrated with one suitcase with clothes and two photographies and one chess set."

,,Why is every emigrant without his documents, only with his pride?"

,,You can´t understand the psychology of the soviet refugee."

,,Yes, and I don´t know why England gives them an asylum," said the officer under his breath. ,,Anyway – what´s your adress?"

,,58, Kaliuchkov Street, Moscow…" started Anatoly as always.

,,What´s your adress here?"

,,You must be joking! I am in England for about one hour, and you think I´ve got an adress? I don´t live anywhere! I have no adress here! I don´t exist here!"

,,Why are you shouting on me?"

,,I am not shouting on you, I just want to explain how it is."

,,All-right. And where do you want to live?"

,,With Florence Vassy in her house or flat or where does she lives…"

,,So go to the corridor and ask her!"

He has done what he wanted. When he was in the corridor, he told Florence everything. She laughed for a moment. ,,They are the same as in Merano. Maybe even worse. I live in 47, in Western-Parc Lane."

,,Thanks, Flo. I hope it will end soon, and then, we can go home. To our home."

,,Yes. To our common home."

When Anatoly returned to the office and said Florence´s adress, the officer gave him some papers and one small and thin book. ,,T here are documents about you. Pay attention on them. And don´t try anything dangerous. It is everything for today. Goodbye."

Anatoly stood up. ,,Thank you. And goodbye." When he put his hand on the handle, said the officer behind him: ,,And welcome in England!"

Anatoly looked at him and smiled. ,,Thank you." But in fact, his heart was injured. His heart was bleeding.

Welcome in England. Goodbye, the USSR.


	5. Kozachok in dark street

Molokov lied to people. He doesn´t tell them truth. It was his job – in the KGB.

But he wasn´t always like this. He wasn´t, until year 1953. Still under Stalin´s terror, he was the newest agent in the KGB, and he wanted to be the best. Young, foolish man who believes in the communism in the USSR. And he loved one woman, Natasha Petrovna, the only person who´d ever deserved his love – in his opinion.

And she loved him as well. These weeks of their love seemed so beautiful, but nothing beautiful lasts forever. Natasha Petrovna, the woman of Molokov´s life, was arrested. She said that Stalin will die soon, and that after his death, the USSR will be much better. Molokov fought with himself, he wanted his work in the KGB so much, and his bosses gave him a chance – he have to send Natasha on the Siberia. And then, he will have a lot of money and the KGB will respect him. So hard choice. He has done, what was necessary for survival, what the KGB wanted…

_,,Sasha! You bastard! Alexander, do you hear me? You are the worst man on the Earth!" These words hurt Molokov deep into his heart. ,,Alexander! I´ll never forgive you! I´ll never forgive! I´ll never forget!" The train with people, sentenced to deportation on the Siberia had to go in these moments. Natasha – in russian folk dress – was leaning from the train window, while her guardians twisted her hands behind her back. ,,You commie! Traitor! So called friend! So called lover! Bastard!" she cried._

The sun burned Molokov to his eyes. He saw only his Natasha, desperately shouting on him from the train. ,,Farewell, Natasha," he whispered in a quavering voice. Natasha´s guardians pulled her into the train and slammed the window. They told her something, but she wasn´t listening. Instead, she started to pounding on the window. Molokov now didn´t hear, what she was screaming to him. He heard the train whistle and saw how the monstrous wheels put into motion. Natasha suddenly had sky-blue eyes withou any anger, but with fear and sadness. Her face was pale. Her lips whispered: ,,Forget me if you can…" Then she lightly raised her hand as if she wanted to wave him. Molokov raised his hand, too, and made a movement, as if he wanted to run, run and stop the train, and kidnap Natasha and ran away, somewhere far away. But the train started to move, the wheels were spinning still faster and faster, and suddenly the picture of Natasha behind the window was away.

_Above the rails was shimmering air, and Alexander Molokov was on the station all alone…_

These memories could him managed to bring tears to his eyes. Since he lost Natasha on the railway station in Moscow, when the train drifted to the northeast, passed twenty-six years. He has got older, his hair turned gray. What happened with Natasha Petrovna he didn´t know. Was she dead? Or alive? Did she hate me until her last moment, as she promised?

Molokov was sitting in his dark apartment on Lenin´s Lane, and his bedroom was illuminating only by one old lamp, what was stanging in the corner of the room. He flipped throught the ancient documents and letters. He has found several letters from Anatoly, which Anatoly sent from some tournaments on what he wasn´t doing his chess helpner. He found a postcard from Anatoly and Svetlana they sent from their honeymoon. And then, finally, he found the only letter of Natasha Petrovna he had – all other letters he gave to the KGB.

_,,Alexander,_

_I´d have thought your words ,,I love you" really meant you love me. How long do you work for that company? From the beginning of our relationship? Is that true? Is that true that my every word was carried to the headquartes of the KGB? You told them everything about me, didn´t you? Did you really love me or it was only another trap and lie? _

_Farawell and enjoy your money that they paid you for this betrayal! With love, once loving you, convicted and betrayed by you, Natasha Petrovna."_

Molokov closed the letter and put it on the table. He sighed heavily. Only one tear ran down his face.

Now, he is going to sleep. And while he will wake up, he will be the old, ruthless Alexander Molokov as always, as everybody knows him.


	6. A good business

,,What happened, Walter?"

,,Nothing, my dear. I was only thinking about things I´ve done on the chess championship. How I followed Sergievsky and Vassy to England and all that…I wanted to have a live record of Sergievsky´s emigration, you know? All televisions all over the world wanted this record, and so Global made a lot of money. A good business, isn´t it?" His wife looked at him with surprise.

,,A good business?" she asked as if she could not believe him.

,,Yeah, that was one of the greatest records our television has ever done," Walter continued, as if he didn´t hear her. ,,I hope we will repeat it soon."

,,Oh, Walter, you still think only on your Global, but it seems you even don´t care about that poor champion and his wife and mistress and their private. I think that if you could, you will go to the USSR and make a interview with Sergievsky´s wife. Ah, poor woman. The whole world has seen her husband as he is emigrating with another woman! It cannot be good for her."

,,Maybe it is not, but who care about it?" Walter laughed. He crossed his legs. It was very nice to be back from Merano. Okay, Merano was nice, but he has so much work and he just wanted to relax in his sunny, sweet and small house with his wife. No hurry, no mess, only him and her. No cameras, no reporters and no mad chess players at last!

,,Walter," his wife sighed. ,,You will destroy someone´s life with your Global once."

,,Or Global will destroy me with money I´ll made."

,,Don´t be so bigheaded! I think…" She didn´t finished her sentence.

,,I think the telephone is ringing," said Walter and stood up. ,,Hope it´s nothing with work, or I will kill the caller."

,,Go there, Waltere. And after you will resolve this phone, return to me." He smiled a little and went to the bedroom, where was the ringing phone. He took the receiver and asked: ,,´Allo? De Courcey is here…"

,,,,Hello, mr. De Courcey. Nice to hear you again." That was some familiar voice, but Walter cannot imagine where he heard it.

,,Who is this?"

,,It is not important." The voice was talking in a deep tone with some accent. ,,You want to made a lot of money, right? And you will do anything for this."

,,Not everything. I would never kill anyone, if you meant this…"

The voice started to laugh. ,,No, no, I don´t want from you to kill anybody…I have my own people to do it, and they are very good in their job…" Walter finally found out who is on the other side of the telephone.

,,Molokov!" he almost exclaimed in surprise. ,,What the hell are you doing? It is damned dangerous for both of us!"

,,No, it is not. The KGB allowed me to call you. I have the pleasure to offer you something."

De Courcey started to be very interested by this situation. What does Molokov wants?

,,Well, and what is your offer?"

,,You will have your great situation to record, right? All televisions all around the world will want your record. And I will have what I will want. I can´t tell you what I will want now. But you will get more informations soon. So, we both will have what we will want. It is a good offer, isn´t it?"

,,I must agree with you, but I still don´t know what do you want from _me_."

,,Your task is very simple. You will find Frederick Trumper and compel him to go to the chess tournament in Barcelona."

,,It will not be as simple as you think, Molokov," said Walter after a while of silent. ,,I don´t even know where he is."

,,So you must find him. The tournament starts on 20th August. You will make him want to play there, and if he will do what we both want, you will go with him. And také your reporters with you. It will be very interesting there."

,,Why very interesting? If the former world champion will win some stupid tournament, no one will be interested about that…"

,,Wait to August, and you will see. Believe me, Walter."

,,Okay, Molokov. It is our deal. I hope I can rely on you."

,,I always do what I promise. Goodbye, Walter. I will phone you at Monday and I will ask you if you has done what I want, right? Be ready. _Do svidaniya_."

,,Goodbye, Molokov."

He hung up and thought for a moment. ,, Yeah, that sounded good."He rubbed his hands and laughed quietly.

,,Yeah, it will be another good business for me!"


	7. Invitation you cannot refuse

**Okay, I am still working on the best part of this story (Wheel of fortune). But I hope you will enjoy this chapter too – plus thank you, ChessCzech, for your letter. A good inspiration!**

,,Look, Florence, look on this. Very interesting, isn´t it? Some chess club wants me. It is the chess club of refugees. There are refugees from Russia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Hungary…Refugees and emigrants from the East." He shook his head. ,,No, I don´t want to see people with the same fortune as me. Florence, may I ask you something? Why are still everybody calling me refugee? I hate that word. I am Anatoly Sergievsky, not any refugee! They use it as my name!"

Florence was standing near the kitchen counter, cooking dinner, Anatoly´s favourite meal, jacked potatoes with tuna and cheese. Anatoly was very surprised how good cook Florence is, when he firstly ate the food she cooked.

She smiled, when she heard his words. ,,Well, Anatoly, is this invite the only letter you have got?"

He looked to the heap of letters, which laid on the table. ,,No. There is…oh, look, there is some another invite – on the chess tournament in Barcelona, Spain! And they sent us even some photos of the place where will be the tournament! Mmmh, that looks nice…." She quickly looked on photos. ,,Yes, very nice."

,,It starts on 20th August…and the winner will get 10 000 pounds. Interesting offer, isn´t it?"

She nodded and took two plates from the cupboard. ,,Are you going on the tournament?"

He shrugged his shoulders. ,,I do not know, but I think so. It could be very romantic place," he dreamed. ,,Near the sea…I was in Spain twelve years ago, on the tournament in Valencia, and after this tournament I became the international grandmaster. It was one of the best moments of my life. And I would like to remind it."

,,I will not forbid you to go there," she said and put plates on the table. ,,Enjoy your meal."

,,Thanks. Florence - do we still have the sparkling wine you bought last week?"

,,Yes, we have. Why?"

,,So pour two glass!"

,,Are we celebrating something?" she asked and smiled.

,,I think we are." Florence has done as he said. Anatoly took one glass to his hand and gave Florence the other one. ,,Well, my dear, I would like to give you a toast." She was laughting.

,,We will go to Spain together, you as my second, and we will enjoy it as our honeymoon! Only you and me and chess… Do you agree?"

,,Of course I do, Tolya."

,,Cheers!"

_,,Égeségedré!"_


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